1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to cord locks and holders, for example, for use with luggage, baggage, baggage carriers, etc. More particularly, the invention relates to a new cord lock which can be preloaded for ready use and which can subsequently be actuated in an easy manner.
2. Description of Related Art
Cord locks are known in the art for gripping and retaining cord, for example, an elastic shock cord, under tension. Such devices typically include a pair of telescoping members which have apertures therethrough. One telescoping member is biased with respect to the other, so that their respective apertures are not aligned. In order to use the cord lock, it is necessary to load it by squeezing the two telescoping members together so that their respective apertures are aligned. The user must continue to apply pressure to hold the two members together in this aligned state while simultaneously threading the cord through the apertures. Once the cord is threaded, the user may release the pressure which is exerted on the two members. Because the two members are biased so that their apertures are misaligned, they will pinch the cord which has been threaded therethrough so as to retain the cord in a fixed position.
Although this design has proven to be effective in holding and locking a cord, such as an elastic shock cord, one principal disadvantage is that the user must continue to exert pressure to align the apertures of the two telescoping members while simultaneously threading the cord through the apertures. Because the biasing force which is necessary to sufficiently grip the cord is relatively strong, a relatively large amount of finger pressure must be applied to align the apertures. Thus, it can be cumbersome to simultaneously thread the cord through the apertures while maintaining the apertures aligned (i.e., loading the device).
Another shortcoming of the prior art is that there is a risk that the lock can be inadvertently disengaged by someone squeezing the two telescoping members together, thereby relieving the tension on the cord and allowing the cord to slip. To minimize the risk of accidental disengagement, the prior art employs a very strong biasing means which requires a great amount of force to oppose. However, as discussed above, this makes the lock all the more difficult to load prior to threading of the cord.